Tennis racket



Sept. 18, 1928. 1,684,4219

J. L, KLEINMAN TENNIS RAGKET Filed July 31, 1926 Inventor. 53

Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STA-'res JACOB L. 'KLEINMAN,

on NEW YORK, N. Y.

TENNIS RACKET.

Application filed. July 31,

This invent-ion relates to tennis raclrets. At the present time tennis rackets are ordinarily made with a single string comprising the playing surface of the racket and when said .5 string is injured or broken at any one point it is necessary to remove the entire string and replace it with a new one. This takes time and is expensive. Also with the raclrets at present on the market it is impossible to adjust the tension of the strings comprising the playing surface without taking the racket to an expert. l

It is a primary object ofthe present invention to provide a racket with a playing surface having a plurality of individual strings.

It is another object to provide a racket having means to adjust the tension of each individual string.

A further object is to provide a racket with means whereby a. string may be readily mounted and removed when necessary.

A still further object is to provide a racket having means for storing asupply of strings for emergency purposes.

Other and furthe-r advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description to follow.`

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a front view of a' tennis racket embodying my invention, a part of the handle being shown in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged Sectional View of a part of the frame of the racket showing howl the bushing and its companion parts are mounted therein.

Figure 3 isa bottom plan view of the bushing and its companion parts as shown in Figure 2.

Figures l and 5- are detail views.

Figure 6'is a sectional view of a part of the frame of the racket showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, in Figure 1 is illustrated a tennis racket comprising the usual frame 10 made of wood or any suitable material and oval in shape. Joined to said frame 10 in any suitable manner is aV handle` 11 as in the usual construction of rackets. A center piece 12 connects the. sides of the frame 10 together, said center piece being curved at the top for ornamental purposes. y 1

Mounted between the. sides of the frame 10 at a .point just above the top of said center 1926. Serial No. 126,210.

piece 12 is a bridge member lcurved to conw formt-o the curvature of the top of said center piece 12.. Y By reason of this construction, a space 14; 1s provided between the'top of the center piece 12 and the lower surface of the bridge member' 13 for a'purpose which will be explained.

Between the sides of the frame 10 is a plu rality' of individual strings 15, said strings 15 being disposed longitudinally and transverselyy of said frame. These strings con? stitute the playing surface of the racket and 1n the ordinary construction of racket this playing surface comprises a single string.-

Each string 15 is mounted separately in the frame and the manner of mounting is a feature. of the present invention, the strings of course being made ofcatgut or any suitabley bushing 17 is in position in the hole 16, the I flange 18 rests againstfthe outer periphery of the frame l10, but it will be understood of course that this flange 1S might be embedded in saidv outer periphery if it is so desired. The shank portion of'said bushing 17 may extend the full length'of the hole 16 but in the drawing in Figure 2 it is shown as ending` y at a point removed from the end of the hole 16.

Into the bushing 17 is adapted to be mounted a string holding and tensioning device comprising a cylindrical body portion 21 provided with external screw threads 22 for `a portion of its length which are 'adapted to engage the internal screw threads 20 of the bushing 17. The-lower end of the device is closed by a base 23 butV said base 23 has formed in the center thereof an opening 241 to permit the string 15 to pass therethrough. It will be noted that the interior floor of said base 23 is formed with a slant as indicated at 25 to permit and to facilitate the ingress and egress of the string 15,-Vno corners or sharp edges being presented to the string to stop or injure the same by reason of this constructhe inside of the frame 10 and turning it to` tion. The upper end of the tensioning device as shown in Figure 4 is open, and formed in the periphery of said upper end at opposite points thereof is a notch 26 for the reception of a tool. The external screw .threads 22 on the tensioning device and the internal screw threads 20 formed on `the/bushing 17 are left handed threads, and it will be noted from Figure 2 that the tensioning device has its cylindrical .body 21 free rom said external screw threads 22 adjacent its upper end inorder to facilitate the mounting Vof said device in the bushing 17, the said free'upper end permitting the threads to engage each other more readily as will be understood.

In use, to mount a transverse string 15, a bushing 17 is positioned in an opening- 16 on the left hand side of the frame 10 for example. A string 15 of the desired length is knotted, as indicated at 27, at one end thereof,

said knot 27 being of course larger than the opening `241 in the base 23. The other end of the string is passed through `the open upper end of the cylindrical body 21, through the interior of said body 21 and through the opening 24 in the base 23 until the knottedV end 27 rests against the, slanting floor of said base. The cylindrical .body 21 is then mounted in the bushing 17 by inserting its free upper end into the` hole 16 on the periphery on i the right so that the threads 20 and 22 engage each other, and said threads being left handed the said tensioning device will move longitudinally of said bushing in the direction of the end forming the flange 18. The free end or the unknotted end of the string 15 is then drawn over and under the adjacent longitudinal strings 15 until it has passed the last Vlongitudinal string 15 on Vthe opposite side of the frame 10, when the said :tree end of the string 15 is then passed through the opening 211 in` the base 23 of a second tensioning device and knotted, the cylindrical body portion 21 :of which is then screwed into another bushing 17 mounted in the hole 16 at a point directly opposite said first hole 16. By turning this second tensioning device to the right, it will be drawn longitudinally of the second bushing 17 inthe direction of thev outer periphery of the frame 10, and while thus moving in this direction it will be drawing the string 15 along with it, taking up the slack and making the said string taut. While rotating` within the bushing 17, the tensioning device twists the string 15 thereby tightening the weaves of said string, which results in Strengthening the said string. It Will be understood of course that in order to adjust the tension, that is slacken or tighten a string,

j all that it is necessary to do is to turn one of do is to turn'the .tensioning devices to the left and they will move out of position in the 4bushing 17 when the string may be readily removed.

A longitudinal string 151s mounted and removed and tensioned in the same manner.

In case of emergency it is often wise to have a supply of strings 15 on hand so that the racket may be repaired.v It is a feature of thisinvention to provide means for storing such a suppl` `This .is accomplished by boring a centra chamber 28 in the outer end of the handle 10 into which a supply of string Y 15 may be placed. Into this chamber 28 at its outer end is mounted ka sleeve 29 formed With a collar 30 adapted to rest when in operative position on a. shoulder 31 formed inV the chamber, saidsleeve 29 being internally screw threaded. Mounted in the sleeve 29 and adapted to seal up the Aopening in the chamber is a tool 32 shownin the drawing as a screw driver having a shank portion, ai

ing any chance of said tool injuring the internal threads 20 formed 0n said bushing.

In the modified form of theinvention illustrated in Figure 6, a series of `openings 34 are formed at spaced. points' in the 4face or-` tion of the frame 10, that is, formed `at right angles to the openings lishown in the other form ofthe invention, and `concentric with said opening 34 is another opening 35 larger in diameter and extending to thesurace of the frame, the latter opening35 being as deep as desired but illustrated :in Figure 16 as being vvery shallow. Into :this opemng 35 is mounted a sleeve v36, `said :sleeve 36 being octagonal or `heinitgonal in shape to L `vent the same from turning in the opening VIllu Mounted `in the opening 35 is a pin 137 formed i i with Yan Velongated shank `and a head-38 shaped like the sleeve 36 andadapted =to=be passed therethrough and through the said opening 34 in the shank ofthe pin 37 when: the said pin is 4in loperative position as shown in Figure 6. In order to tighten thegsaid string 15, it is necessary to draw the head 384 of the pin outwardly awa from thesleevef and when it is free of saii sleeve the pin may be turned, turning with it t-he string 15 Vand thereby tightenin the Same.` When the string is `suiicient y taut, lthe head `38 pushed back into the sleeve 36 and the parts are held against further turning.

While I have described several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that many minor changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts and I desire to be limited only by the state of the art and the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A racket comprising a frame, a handle therefor, said frame formed with a plurality of openings around its periphery, a bushing mounted in each of said openings, a plurality of strings stretched between said frame, and a device for tensioning and twisting each of said strings mounted in each of said bush ings, said device Consisting of a cylindrical bodyV section, and a base section, said base section formed with an opening to permit the string to pass therethr-ough, said cylindrical body section adapted to rotate within and move longitudinally of said bushing.

2. A racket comprising a frame, a handle therefor, said frame formed with a plurality of openings around its periphery and extending therethrough, a bushing mounted in each of said openings, a plurality of strings stretched between said frame, and a device for tensioning and twisting each of said strings mounted in each of said bushings.

3. A racket comprising a frame, a handle therefor, a plurality of individual strings stretched therebetween, a` plurality of rotatable devices for tensioning said strings mounted in said frame, means for operating said tensioning devices, means within said frame for storing a supply of said strings, said operating means forming a part of said last mentioned means when not operating sai'dl tensioning devices. l

4. In a racket, a frame, a handle, a string tensioning device mounted in said frame, and removable vmeans forming a part of said handle for operating .said tensioning device.

5. In a racket, a frame, a handle, a tensioning device mounted in said frame, and a removable turning tool forming a part of said handle for operating said tensioning device.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

JACOB L. KLEINMAN. 

